Crystal structure of a novel dimesogen

The title compound, 4-(cholestroxycarbonyl)pentyloxy-4'-heptyloxycarbonylbiphenyl (C₅₃H₇₈O₅), is a novel dimesogen comprising two mesogenic units dissimilar in nature. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁ with cell parameters a = 6.241(3), b = 17.943(5), c = 43.13(5), Z = 4. The structure was solved using SHELXS (Sheldrick, 1997) and refined using SHELXL (Sheldrick, 1997). The final residual was R = 0.0803 for 1769 reflections with I < 2 σ(I). In the crystal phase the molecule is linear and the terminal groups show stretching with higher bond distances. The packing of the molecules shows imbrication, herringbone and stacking along the a, b, and c axes, respectively. The structure also exhibits an intermolecular hydrogen bond of the type CH…O. The space group suggests the possibility of a chiral mesophase.